Busby Metals

CHALLENGE

Specialty high-performance copper alloys. Sounds cool, and technical, and it is! Demanding customers in oil & gas, aerospace and engineering equate to exacting standards of quality and service. For over 50 years, this New York-based supplier has not only delivered, but also developed a reputation in their industry for coming through for their clients all the while maintaining a personal and direct sales relationship approach.

But times change, and competition from large-scale generalist suppliers, pricing and delivery pressures, and a critical need to be physically closer to suppliers and their customer base, led to the decision to expand operations in the USA and internationally. The result: a complex set of criteria, customer segments, language variants, cultures and technologies converging on this relatively small powerhouse of a metals supplier.

APPROACH

By far, the greatest challenges centered around Busby’s growth strategy and building a brand around the values of the company. The two key target segments—aerospace and oil & gas—have disperate priorities and market drivers, yet we needed to uniquely appeal to both. Sourcing and selling materials globally is one thing, but attracting the attention of sales leads and developing a local presence means establishing the company as the best source of materials with a blend of price, quality and delivering the right products accurately and quickly.

Generating leads and converting potential clients into customers typically happened when these prospects had been let down by their regular suppliers. To be ready for this, Busby needed to develop a strong and clear voice of their own as part of a brand strategy and identity that conveys the deeply authentic, knowledgeable and personal qualities that their current clients come back for time and again.

RESULTS

In order to prioritize the brand, marketing, operational and communications considerations, we conducted a brand audit, competitive analysis, staff survey and client survey in advance of a stakeholder workshop. This provided us with the necessary information and a collaborative environment to build a brand strategy from.

We landed on what is unique about the company and the qualities that universally appeal to their audiences:

‘Specializing in copper alloys. For us, it’s personal…’

On this basis, a complete visual identity system including logo, stationery, signage, uniforms, trade show booths, marketing and sales collateral and responsive website was developed. Of particular note on the website is a customized quotation ordering system that allows users to add products to a quote request with shopping cart-like functionality. While this may seem a simple and logical addition to the site, the effect is a far more streamlined quotation process from the client side and a more efficient use of sales rep’s time in responding, thus freeing up more time to personalize each interaction. We also created an entirely new visual system for product-based collateral and all copywriting, crafting language and tone to the brand.

Within one day of launching the website and trade show booth, Busby signed the largest single order they’ve ever had. Feedback from clients and staff suggest that after over 50 years in business, Busby finally has the attention of the industry and is on track for a significant increase in sales. Ongoing SEO and social media strategy will be appended to the online marketing and communications planning as the online components become more integral to the Busby experience.

Launch website: busbymetals.com